Cost of Basic Needs Has Skyrocketed

December 14, 2023


Times are tough right now for many families in our district and across the state. The cost of living has increased exponentially since the end of the pandemic. Please read below to learn more about the skyrocketing cost of basic needs in our state.

Connecticut's minimum wage will be going up in the new year. Keep scrolling to learn more about the reason why there will be an increase.

Time is running out for your child's school participate in the state's snowplow naming contest. Please read below to find out how the competition works and to see the fantastic names of previous winners.

Have a great weekend!
 
Skyrocketing Cost of Basic Needs

If you are struggling financially right now, you are not alone. Costs have gone up dramatically in the past three years. Operation Fuel released a new study showing a growing number of individuals and families in Connecticut, including Stamford, struggle to pay off their basic needs. The main takeaways are:

  • 424,000 Connecticut households cannot afford home energy costs
  • The affordability gap increased 37% (from $440 million to $608 million)
  • Housing, transportation, and energy costs have increased during the past three years
  • Water rates have risen faster than inflation and other utility costs in the past 20 years
Absent additional federal funding, we need to have a legislative discussion in Connecticut to ensure people get what they need in terms of energy and heat assistance. We must do everything in our power to provide relief on their bills. No one should be living in the cold.
 
Operation Fuel’s Winter/Spring energy assistance program is scheduled to open on January 8, 2024. Water assistance is available year-round, as funding allows. 
Click Here For Interactive Affordability Gap Map
 
Snowplow Naming Contest

Students in Wilton, New Canaan, Ridgefield, and the rest of the state are invited to submit their most creative names for four snowplows, which will clear ice and snow on our state roads and highways during storms. K-12 schools have until Friday, December 15 to send in their best names!

The winning schools will have their submitted name featured on the side of the Department of Transportation snowplow. Students need to be up for the challenge! Previous winners include Buzz Iceclear, Husky McSalty, Plowzilla, and Scoop Dogg. The naming contest allows kids to think critically and be aware of snowplow safety guidelines.
Full Contest Rules & More
 
Minimum Wage Increase on the Way

New year, new wage! The state's minimum wage of $15 will increase to $15.69 on January 1, 2024, as part of Connecticut’s first-ever economic indicator adjustment.

This increase was made possible thanks to legislation passed in 2019, which implemented five incremental increases in the minimum wage between 2019 and 2023, followed by future adjustments that are tied to the percentage change in the federal employment cost index.

Beginning on January 1, 2024, and occurring annually each January 1, the state’s minimum wage will be adjusted according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s calculation of the employment cost index for the 12-month period ending on June 30 of the preceding year. The law requires the Connecticut Department of Labor to review this percentage change and then announce any adjustments by October 15 of each year. The minimum wage adjustments become effective on the next January 1.

Providing livable wages to the lowest-earning workers is a step in the right direction to help them make ends meet and provide for their families. This increase not only assists hard-working Connecticut families, but it can spur local economies by putting more money in people's pockets, which drives up spending power and makes it easier to pay household bills. Approximately 60% of minimum-wage earners in Connecticut are women, according to the Current Population Survey, calculated by the US. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

No one should be forced to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. I stand in strong support of this pay adjustment and the workers who will benefit from it.
 
Bring Me Back Home Registry
Stamford Police are spreading the word about a new resource giving law enforcement more access to information and images to help find missing or wandering people. Bring Me Back Home (BMBH) assists first responders and families reunite with individuals living with cognitive challenges, such as dementia or autism. This information is confidential as well as secure and can only be accessed by law enforcement personnel in an emergency.
Click Here To Learn More and Sign Your Loved One Up